For the 6th consecutive year, this July and August the Fredericton Region Museum is set to open a gallery as a studio for a local artist. The museum’s artist-in-residence program is run annually as a collaboration with artists to encourage a relationship between historical institutions and the art industry.

This summer, the museum will be welcoming two artists, each joining the program for 3 weeks. Beginning her residency on July 3rd is Melissa Kennedy, and Mary Grant will begin on August 7th. During their respective residencies they will complete a series of works that is tied to and inspired by history.

Melissa is working on a small scale sculpture in clay based on a poem written by New Brunswick poet, Charles G. D. Roberts (1860-1943). In “Philander’s Song”, Charles describes himself reading when his eye is caught by a charming woman as she passes by.

Philander’s Song
(from “The Sprightly Pilgrim”)
I sat and read Anacreon.
Moved by the gay, delicious measure
I mused that lips were made for love,
And love to charm a poet’s leisure.
And as I mused a maid came by
With something in her look that caught me.
Forgotten was Anacreon’s line,
But not the lesson he had taught me

Melissa is excited about this project because it combines aspects from all of her post-secondary education. She studied poetry while at the University of New Brunswick, costume design at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and sculpture at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence in Italy (where she now teaches).

Mary will be using traditional rug hooking techniques to create a montage of the Ingraham family’s flight from the eastern seaboard, their arrival in New Brunswick by boat in late September, survival through the first winter and settlement of farms, etc.

Mary is a Certified Rug Hooking Instructor with the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia. She began rug hooking in 2002 and is currently the President of the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia (RHGNS). She also has a Master’s Degree in Industrial and Vocational Education focusing on teaching skills to adults. She is a member of the Heritage Rug Hooking Guild of New Brunswick – Fredericton, the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists, the Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Fibre Artists’ Network.

We are excited to welcome Melissa and Mary to the museum and look forward to seeing to results of their hard work. We are thankful to the city of Fredericton for the funding for this project.

A reception will be held at the museum on Wednesday, July 26th at 7pm. We welcome all guests, however, we ask that you let us know that you will be joining us in advance so that we can put out enough chairs.

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The Fredericton Region Museum is offering a behind the scenes history day camp during the week of July 24th to 28th. Campers will explore behind the scenes areas of several of Fredericton’s Heritage centers and find links to the city’s past. Children will take daily trips to nearby locations and visit heritage gems that make Fredericton a wonderful place to live. With lots of time for creativity, campers will play traditional and contemporary games, construct crafts, explore the secrets of heritage buildings, and make new friends.

The museum operates six different weeks of summer day camps offering children 8 to 11 years of age an opportunity to explore some of Fredericton’s history. Our camps have a maximum of 10 Campers each week, allowing the children to fully participate and enjoy the week in their own way while exploring and learning about our past in a fun and inclusive manner. Children take daily trips to nearby sites and visit heritage gems that make Fredericton a wonderful place to live. With lots of time for creativity, campers play traditional and temporary games, construct crafts, explore our heritage, make lasting friendships and learn about our past in a unique way!

This camp starts next week but we still have a few spots open. The registration fee is $140 and includes a museum t-shirt, materials and activities.

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The Fredericton Region Museum is pleased to display the quilt that Florence Pond’s late mother, Edna Hill, made in 1967 to celebrate Canada’s centennial.

Last month, the York-Sunbury Historical Society hosted its annual show and tell at the museum. Show and tell night is always fun because you never know who will be there and what they will bring. For instance, I had no idea when I welcomed guests that I would be learning about Poland’s role in the Second World War and that I would be planning a new Centennial display.

That night, I had the honour of meeting Florence Pond and learning about her mother’s quilt. Several people attended the show and tell because the Gleaner printed an article about the quilt that same day! This incredible piece was made by Florence’s mother, Edna Hill, in 1967 to celebrate Canada’s Centennial. You can tell that she put a lot of thought and consideration into the piece and that she cared for it very much.

Each province is represented with the name of its Premier at the time along with their province’s flower. The quilt is in incredible condition because up until now, it has spent most of the last fifty years tucked away in a closet. As Florence told us about Edna’s quilt, she expressed an interest in having it displayed where the public can appreciate it. Well, it didn’t take long for the Chair of the Exhibitions Committee and me to offer a space on the wall just outside the Confederation exhibit! It just happened that the space was empty and needed to be filled.

After our volunteer, Elaine, sewed a rod pocket in the top so that we could hang it in a way that would cause as little stress on the artefact as possible, we had pictures of Edna enlarged and we framed the article that the Daily Gleaner printed and hung them on either side. Florence dropped by to visit her Mother’s quilt yesterday and she seemed very pleased with the display.

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The Fredericton Region Museum is offering a technology inspired history day camp during the week of July 17th to 21st. Calling all communicators! This week focuses on the history and evolution of communications and technologies that past generations used and enjoyed! Campers will participate with and learn about different types of technology and communication technologies from our past through crafts, field trips and games while also having lots of fun!

The museum operates six different weeks of summer day camps offering children 8 to 11 years of age an opportunity to directly explore some of Fredericton’s history and discover links to the City’s past. Our camps have a maximum of 10 Campers each week, allowing the children to fully participate and enjoy the week in their own way while exploring and learning about our past in a fun and inclusive manner. Children take daily trips to nearby sites and visit heritage gems that make Fredericton a wonderful place to live. With lots of time for creativity, campers play traditional and contemporary games, construct crafts, explore our heritage, make lasting friendships and learn about our past in a unique way!

This camp starts next week but we still have a few spots open. The registration fee is $140 and includes a museum t-shirt, materials and activities.

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There is so many cool items that can be found at the shop. It’s a must stop in while downtown Fredericton. Located on the bottom floor of the Fredericton Region Museum, 571 Queen St.

The Fredericton Region Museum is excited to welcome our summer neighbours, the FAB Fredericton Artist Boutique! They are a wonderful little craft store that has taken up residence on the other end of the ground floor of our building.

I went down to explore and they are packed full of hand crafted treasures from Atlantic Pewter, Kvh Jensen, Voluptuous Designs, Born Again Purses, Andrew Scott (Writer/Photographer), Nick Bartlett (Pinzilla Buttons), Ange Fuller (Creative Pursuits) and Carrie Allen-Golding (Rebel Needles).

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The Fredericton Region Museum is offering a playful history day camp during the week of July 10th to 14th. What did people do for fun? What games did they play? What did they create? Learn about the history of arts, crafts, and recreation through fun, hands-on activities. Activities will include visits to historical and cultural sites (such as art galleries and museums), special guests, and historically significant games and crafts. Join us and learn about toys and games from the past while you play with them!

The museum operates six different weeks of summer day camps offering children 8 to 11 years of age an opportunity to directly explore some of Fredericton’s history and discover links to the City’s past. Our camps have a maximum of 10 Campers each week, allowing the children to fully participate and enjoy the week in their own way while exploring and learning about our past in a fun and inclusive manner. Children take daily trips to nearby sites and visit heritage gems that make Fredericton a wonderful place to live. With lots of time for creativity, campers play traditional and contemporary games, construct crafts, explore our heritage, make lasting friendships and learn about our past in a unique way!

This camp starts next week but we still have a few spots open. The registration fee is $140 and includes a museum t-shirt, materials and activities.